As a fan of the Big Band Era, I'm sad to hear Patty Andrews has passed away. I'm also sad to admit I didn't know she was still alive up to now. I forget how long ago the 1940's weren't.

Patty was a member of the Andrews Sisters, the singing trio that produced the sound that defined an era in vocal jazz. The other two members were LaVerne Sophia and Maxine Angelyn.

My first memory of hearing the Andrews Sisters had to be with a Bing Crosby Christmas record that I found in my grandfather's music library. Here is one of those recordings:

Also featured on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The Andrews Sisters were "pop stars" with real talent. Though their harmonies are sometimes critiqued as being simplex, a deeper reading into their catalog of hits reveals both harmonic and rhythmic complexity that bears note, especially given the time period. It is sometimes stated that their harmony and tone was emulating the three trumpets of a big band.

They recorded with many of the top artist of the time including Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and Bob Hope. Though their careers slowed quiet a bit when LaVerne Sophia passed away in 1967, the remaining members had a stint on Broadway and a few other public appearances throughout the rest of their lives.

As a nostalgia nerd, I also watched all of the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movies when I was growing up. They performed on the "Road to Rio" in the clip below, with Trumpeter Harry James No Less! This was great!